IMAM TALIB'S BLOG

Monday, March 23, 2015

According to local news reports in New York City, over the weekend a husband and wife lost their seven children in a fire in which the mother and another child were critically injured. The accident was described by Mayor Bill DeBlasio as "an unbelievable tragedy". The facts of the fire are now well known, but when I heard the news reports I was reminded of a similar tragedy in the Bronx eight years ago. That time eight children died and one adult. The Bronx family were Muslims. The Brooklyn family were Jews. The magnitude of the deaths are the same , and who amongst us can fail to be moved by such occurrences?These events remind me of these sacred and authenticated narrations of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):

Translation of meaning: He (peace be upon him) and his companions stood for a funeral bier and [people] said: O Messenger of Allah, it is a jewess. He (peace be upon him) then said: Indeed death is a fright, then if you see a janaaza (funeral) , then stand. (Sahiih Muslilm)

Translation of meaning: A funeral bier passed by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and he stood, and it was said to him that it is the bier of a jew. He replied: “Isn’t it a soul?” (Sahiih Bukhari)

Allah tells us that every soul shall have a taste of death. As human beings we feel compassion for all such afflicted families, and may Almighty God comfort them all in their grief, ameen.

Also, let this tragedy serve as a reminder to us all to have both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in our homes, and to change the batteries at least once a year.

. Even more so considering that it was supposedly committed in defense of the Last Prophet's honor (pbuh). The hate-filled ISIS Takfeeri mentality, which seeks to justify the unjustifiable, will continue to haunt the Muslim world in various forms ofBoko Haram, Shabab, and Taliban atrocities until we finally manage to educate our communities to their reality. May Allah rid our community and the world community of this evil ideology in all its forms and support the positive global awakening to the moral and social excellence of Islam.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

As- Salaamu 'Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu (peace be unto you and the Mercy of Allah and His blessings)

Since the
attack upon protestors in Ferguson, Missouri, the "hands up - don't
shoot" gesture has become a symbol of national protest and defiance,
especially amongst young people. This has generated different opinions in
communities of Americans of African descent. The reason for this is not that
there isn't wide-spread righteous indignation at the ongoing injustice of
police brutality and use of excessive force resulting in the deaths of
innocent, unarmed people, because there is that prevailing spirit in communities,
nation-wide. What has generated the difference of opinion is the
"hands-up" gesture itself.

On the
Friday following the events at Ferguson, after Friday worship service at the
Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood (Harlem, New York), where I am the Imam, a number
of worshippers joined me in an act of solidarity.

Our community elder, a Black American man, expressed
reservation about this gesture, since the hands-up gesture is after all, one of
universal surrender. Then a couple of weeks later at a support rally for Imam
Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, the fiery veteran activist Pam Africa , expressed a
similar view, suggesting that elders are dis-empowering our youth by
encouraging hands up, rather than say, a clenched fist of defiance.

THE MAIN MEN - TOMMY SMITH (left) and John Carlos (right)at the 1968 Olympics

MADIBA NELSON MANDELANOBODY COMPLAINED WHEN HE DID IT

ANGELA DAVIS BACK IN THE DAY

BLACK POWER IN THE WHITE HOUSEOH, THE OPPOSITION HAD A FIT !

RIGHT ON, FIRST LADY MICHELLE !

BOTH STYLES OF DEFIANCE AT FERGUSON RALLY

I thought that their views were well
stated and valuable.

My own
view is that there is validity to this view, and that
is why artists are so important in struggle. They clarify truths through the
medium of their art. Thus, artists must be connected to such grassroots
struggles (just think of the revolutionary visual art of the past. I have grown
up with it as exemplified in the 1960s and 70s art from various struggles,
and I would include the graffiti protest art of the 90s) Nowadays images
jump out at hyper speed into public consciousness, and that is inevitable
because of the technology. It has advantages and disadvantages during this time
when spontaneous movements can be born and leap to national or global
proportions almost overnight, through social media.

However, self-expressive gestures and other expressions by groups are
inevitable. Over the years I have watched some of them with curiosity, like the
unique version of the peace sign made with the fingers turned around, that we
see in mostly but not exclusively Black and Latino communities. Its called a
backwards peace sign and means different things to different people, as is the
case with many symbols.

Some
have, incorrectly I believe, identified this gesture as a gang symbol. But
its not that to my knowledge, but rather a demonstration of what the late John
Ogbu, a Nigerian-American educator described as "cultural inversion".

Here's a
quote from his paper "Understanding Cultural Diversity", available on
line:

"Cultural
inversion is the tendency of involuntary minorities to regard certain
forms of behaviors, events, symbols and meanings as inappropriate for them
because they are characteristic of White Americans. At the same time the
minorities value other forms of behavior,events, symbols and meanings,
as appropriate for themselves".

Dr. Ogbu
goes on to state that this principle lies at the center of a collective,
oppositional identity, which Dr. Abdul-Hakim Sherman Jackson (Islam and the
BlackAmerican: The Third Resurrection) identifies as that of a "protest
people" rooted in a "cosmic 'no'.". Ogbu's paper is
brilliant and informative, and perfectly expressive of a perspective of
people that in my opinion, helps clarify the issue.

Holding
this view, I immediately recognized what sister Iman Drammeh Nur (see
her blog "Violence and the Power of Logo" for a different though not
dis-agreeing view of the phenomena") hasaccurately described
as a "sign of mock surrender".

The hands-up gesture, is in my
opinion, an expression of cultural inversion within a protest context. I would
place it in the same category as "die-ins" and other such expression
currently occurring. These are culturally inverted expressions, gesture,
speech, etc. being wielded by mostly young people, even as they take to the
streets in defiance of our oppression and oppressors - demonstrating, marching,
raging, "spitting" lyrics, shouting, chanting etc. Its all an
organic, spontaneous expression, just as useful as other expressions of
freedom of speech and verbal jihad.

MEMBERS OF ST LOUIS RAMS SHOWING INTEGRITY

LEBRON AND TEAMMATES DOING THE SAME

MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF NYON THEIR WAY TO CONDUCT GOVERNMENT BUSINESSKEEP IT REAL

So yes, while I understand those who hold a
different view, I nonetheless see the entire matter in the light I have
expressed above. Being an elder now myself, I'm willing to cut the young people
some slack and let them do their thing in opposition to injustice, even as I
once did and still do (look at the way that I'm dressed in the above picture. A
young person made the garment for me and presented it to me as a gift). In other words, I'm feeling them . After allowing them their spontaneous expression, its then up to us
"elders" to perhaps guide the next generation to even more potent and lasting expressions of long term and
lasting ideological utility, in the ongoing struggle of Black
Americans and others for freedom, justice and equality, civil, constitutional, and human
rights, and sovereignty. Perhaps this can and should be done through elder artists mentoring the younger generation in the art of political expression through art. And Allah knows best.

Tonight at approximately 7:45 pm Abdullah Abdur-Razzaq, formerly known as James 67X , passed away in Bellevue Hospital in New York City. He had been hospitalized there for a month before passing quietly and peacefully in his sleep. Brother Abdur-Razzaq had been an aide and confidante to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz/Malcolm X, during his days as a minister in the Nation of Islam under Mr. Elijah Muhammad, and after his break with the Nation and founding of both the Muslim Mosque Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Over the past several years, Abdur-Razzaq had been an inexhaustible source of information , particularly of the 1950s and 1960, with his archival memory and passionate love for freedom. Historically he can be seen in a rare photo, standing to the immediate left of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during his once in a lifetime meeting with El-Hajj Malik/Malcolm X in the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. It was Abdur-Razzaq (then known as James 67X, the secretary of the Muslim Mosque Inc.) who facilitated the meeting when the two giants found themselves in the Capitol Rotunda at the same time, during Civil Rights hearings. Two giant supporters of Shabazz/X have now passed within months of each other. Sulaiman Sealey, former bodyguard for the famed African American leader, passed just a few months ago. Janaaza (traditional Islamic funeral) for arrangements for Abdullah Abdur-Razzaq have not yet been announced.

Friday, October 31, 2014

As-Salaamu 'Alaikum. No I'm not kidding. I do have a sense of humor, but you all should know me better than that. Each year when the disguised devil worship that is Halloween (then again, maybe it's not so disguised) is highly visible in America and elsewhere, I always think about the truth that is behind the reality.

First, the myth of vampires attacking and slaying the innocent is a metaphor for the victimizing of the poor by the rich. The real vampires are those who systematically prey on the indigent. This means that the real vampires are individuals and corporations who drain the social, economic, and spiritual life out of grassroots people, living them in the condition of the walking dead, in place of living, vibrant human beings who live fruitful and well realized lives in a world of shared prosperity.

But even moreso, Dracula was a real person; a historical figure from European history. Decades ago I was walking through the Port Authority Bus Station here in New York City (known in the past and present as a lair for vampires and their victims) . I was passing through the station clutching my Qur'an, when I decided to go into a bookstore. I found there a book entitled In Search of Dracula by Raymond T. McNally & Radu Florescu. Out of curiosity I purchased a copy:

When I took it home and read sections of it, boy was I surprised. My curiosity was amply rewarded !

Reading the book, I learned that the real Count Dracula's name was Vlad, known by the sobriquet (or kunya in Arabic), of Vlad the Impaler. He was the product of a rich European family. The home of Dracula as depicted in movies and writings is identified as Transylvania, which is a real place. Transylvania is a province of western Romania, a country very much in the news recently because of the threat of Soviet expansion.

The myth of Dracula finds its origins in the novel by Bram Stoker,

which was eventually immortalized so to speak by Hollywood. Tinseltown produced the film lore of vampires with the classic films starring Hungarian-American actor Bela Lugosi.

Of course, Hollywood vampires are popular to this day, as in the tv show The Vampire Diaries, or in films like The Twilight Saga. In Stoker's original novel, he describes various European ethnic groups that actually exist, like the Saxons, Romanians, Hungarians, etc. They are the people of the region of Europe where the wealthy Dracul family (in a region of poor people) came into being. They were feudal lords who lived in a castle whereas the grassroots people live in humble dwellings. Castle Dracula (known today as a historical landmark called Bran Castle) still exists, and looks like this:

The real Dracula carried the first or given name of his father, which was Vlad. Vlad senior was known as Vlad II, and he died in 1447. His nickname was Dracul, a Romanian word meaning "devil". He in turn nicknamed his son Vlad with a diminutive version of that name - Dracula, meaning "son of the devil", or "lesser devil", or " Lil' devil". I kid you not. You couldn't make up this stuff, and besides, the truth is always more revealing than fiction. To quote an original Nation of Islam saying popularized amongst Americans of African descent by El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X, Rahmatullah 'alaihi, May Allah have Mercy on him, and reward him with Jannat (Paradise), ameen ), " Of all our studies, history is best qualified to reward all research".

To continue, the name Dracul also means "dragon". The Dracul family were Christians, or what Dr. Cornel West might identify as adherents of "Imperial Christianity", as opposed to true Christianity, during the time of the Crusades. The Crusades were military campaigns spanning centuries which were waged with the sanction of the Roman Catholic Church, against those described as "infidel Turks", who were of course Muslims (This is getting interesting isn't it? Now you see why Imam Talib is writing about this).

The Dracul family built churches in Europe, and in the year 1431 Vlad Dracul the father was, according to McNally and Florescu, honored by the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, who "…invested Vlad the father with the Order of the Dragon, a semi monastic, semi-military organization dedicated to fighting the Turkish infidels".

Eventually the son grew up to be known as the Prince of Wallachia (a region of Romania), as had his father and grandfather. He looked like this:

Dracula the son was called the Impaler because he had a section of the grounds of his family land filled with sharpened wooden stakes, upon which he would have his enemies thrown from out of the castle window. Reportedly he was so ruthless, bloodthirsty and sadistic, the he would sit eating, watching while these men died a gruesome death. That savage practice is depicted in this ancient drawing:

One day Muslims traveling through the area sent an envoy to request egress across the vast territorial lands owned by the wealthy family, as a courtesy. Dracula had the Muslim killed. Through time and mutual hostilities between the Muslims and Christians in Europe, Dracula was captured and imprisoned by the Muslims. Upon release he went back to battling his former captors. According to McNally and Floresco, during The Impaler's final battle, a moment of poetic justice occurred.

"Dracula's army began killing Turks without mercy. Out of sheer joy, Dracula ascended a hill in order to see better his men massacring the Turks. This, detached from his army and his men, some took him for a Turk, and one of them struck him with a lance. But Dracula, seeing that he was being attacked by his own men, immediately killed five of his would-be assassins with his own sword; however, he ws pierced by many lances, thus he died.

"…According to both Bonifinius and a Turkish chronicler, Dracula was then beheaded. His head was sent to Constantinople (Turkey, known known as Istanbul - Imam Talib) , where it remained exposed as proof that the dreaded Impaler was really dead".

The authors claim that out of 200 men fighting the Muslim Turks that day, 190 were killed. They are also uncertain for some reason as to whether the death blow was struck by one of Dracula's own men, or one of the Muslim Turks.

A century after the death of Dracula, one of his descendants, named Mihnea II ( accepted Islam. He took the name Mikail, and was ostracized by his family, who called him "the apostate"; meaning he apostated from Imperial Christianity. He is known in history as Mihnea II, "the Islamized". I guess this descendant of a family radicalized by Imperial Christianity decided to moderate the influence of his past by becoming a Muslim.

In modern times, the 500th year of Dracula's death was commemorated in the year 1976 by the issuance of postage stamps in both Europe:

And America:

In 2011, Charles, Prince of Wales, popularly known as Prince Charles, claimed that he is descended from Dracula (son of the devil, enemy of Muslims), as noted here:

Thirteen years ago
during the immediate aftermath of the september 11th atrocities, the
Majlis Ash-Shura, also known as the Islamic Leadership Council of Metropolitan
New York, wrote and distributed 10,000 brochures on the streets of our city.
The brochures conveyed our message of condolences to all who lost loved ones in
those horrid attacks. We denounced terrorism, which we identified as
politically motivated violence against innocents.Further, we urged the Western powers to
seriously investigate those factors that were fomenting extremism amongst
Muslims.

Today, our message
remains essentially the same.Throughout
the planet,there are people of
different racial and ethnic groups, many religions or beliefs,or lack thereof, and various political
ideologies, who are committing terrorist acts.Regretfully, extremist Muslims are to be found amongst them

No reasonable
person blames all Christians or
Christianity itself, or all Jews or
Judaism itself, or all Hindus or Buddhists
or their faiths, or atheists for that matter, for acts of terrorism committed
by a distinct minority of people from those groups. Yet too often we find
Muslims collectively burdened with guilt by association of faith, when
individuals or groups who claim to be acting in the name of Islam, instead act
outside of it’smoral and ethical
boundaries. Then the media or others , place the blame for atrocities on Islamic extremists or terrorists, when
our faith is not extreme nor does it advocate terrorism.

Since the very
night of September 11, 2001, Muslim
groups throughout America and the world have been denouncing the targeting of
innocent, non-combatant civilians and others, by extremist Muslims. Yet all of us are constantly asked “Why
don’t you say something?” To which we reply “We have, and we are, the question
is why aren’t you aware of that?”

So today, we as
leaders of Muslim congregations and houses of worship throughout New York City,
say again for all to hear that we denounce acts of extremist violence no matter
whom or what. Certainly there are violent extremists who are Muslims, but their
acts of terrorism are not Islamic. They are un-Islamic.

In our society we
hear from the lips of Islamophobes or those influenced by them, that the
canonical law of Islam, Sharia law,
is to blame for acts of terrorism committed by extremist Muslims. However the
truth is that the sacred laws of our faith, forbid the very acts being
committed by extremist Muslims, be they individuals or groups.

So as Muslim
leaders in New York City, we stand in solidarity with the distinct majority of
people throughout America and the world, including the viable scholars of our
religion both here in America and abroad, in denouncing all acts of political
violence committed by extremist individuals, groups, or governments, regardless
of the color of their skin, the country of their origin, their religion or lack
thereof, or their politics.

We do so because
as Muslim leaders we stand for justice. We are ever mindful that there are
injustices in the world that need to be righted. We feel the pain in our
hearts, of Muslims oppressed anywhere in the world. Too many of those
injustices are committed by Muslims against Muslims and others, and vice-versa.
It matters not the identity of the perpetuators of injustice, nor its victims.
Right is right and wrong is wrong is wrong, and oppression and injustice are
wrong , no matter whom or what.However we
of the Majlis Ash-Shura do not believe that two wrongs make a right. We are
here today to make it clear that struggling for justice is right, and violent
extremism is wrong.

Today, we are announcing our implementation of
a Four-Point-Citywide response, to appeals from anywhere in the world, calling
Muslims to acts of terrorism:

1.Beginning this week, on our web-site and in
social media, we are posting our principled opposition against terrorism, with
evidences from the primary sources of our faith - our holy book the Qur’an, and
the Sunna, or Prophetic tradition of the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad
Ibn Abdullah, to whom the Qur’an was revealed, peace be upon him.

2.We continue to declare that we stand for both
public safety and the civil,
constitutional and human rights of all Americans,
including Muslims. We continue to stand ready to partner reasonably with those
whose commitment is to both of these essential elements of American society.

3.This
Friday Oct 17th, simultaneous sermons will be delivered at mosques
throughout the city upholding the principle of justice, yet denouncing
extremist acts and tactics that exceed the boundaries of Islamic sacred law.

4.This November, we will once again sponsor our
citywide mosque open-house events, as we have done for the past four years;
where-in Muslim houses of worship will open their doors for visits and
activities, with our neighbors of other faiths.

Lastly, we call
upon the governments of the world to stop using state-sponsored violence as a
tool of oppression and repression of the masses of people seeking freedom,
justice, and equality. We call for the elimination of poverty, which is itself
a weapon of mass destruction *, as well
as all economic, political, and social injustice, which leaves persons vulnerable
to calls to extremism, as the only viable solution to the very real problems of
society.